This invention relates generally to label printing and applying apparatus and more specifically to means for mounting coreless rolls of labels on hand-held, hand-operated labeling guns of the type described in my pending coassigned U.S. continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 854,391, filed Nov. 23, 1977.
Labeling guns of the type described in the aforesaid application are designed to accept only cored rolls of labels, that is, rolls wound on a cylindrical core of molded plastic or cardboard tubing. The core is formed with a central circular opening therein having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the spindle of the labeling gun so that the roll may be readily mounted on the gun for application of the labels to merchandise and the like. After the roll has been exhausted, the core is removed from the spindle and replaced by a new cored roll. The old core is simply discarded. This of course is uneconomical, and the fact that a separate core is required for each roll of labels increases the cost of the rolls, and the shipping expense thereof. Thus there are very substantial advantages to converting to the manufacture and use of coreless rolls of labels. In order to enjoy the advantages of such coreless rolls, new labeling guns could be designed and manufactured which would accept these coreless rolls. However, the cost of manufacturing and supplying such new guns to replace all the existing guns would be uneconomical and, moreover, such new guns would not be compatible as they would be unable to accept cored rolls which presently constitute the greater part of all available rolls in the user's stock. Further, the large number of existing labeling guns which are designed to accept only cored rolls would be obsolete and the substantial investment in them would be lost.
Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,222,242 and 2,282,016 disclosing means for mounting coreless rolls on various apparatus.